Tony Dejak, Associated PressFausto Carmona turned in a quality start on Tuesday, allowing three runs in six innings, to pick up a win against the White Sox.

Fausto Carmona stayed cool instead of overheating. It is a better way for him.

Some pitchers need an extra shot of adrenaline when they're in a tight spot. Carmona needs to ease off the accelerator. In the first game of Tuesday's day-night doubleheader against Chicago, that's just what he did to win his first game since he last beat the White Sox on Aug. 17.

After Travis Hafner gave him a 2-0 lead with a first-inning homer off Gavin Floyd, Carmona came out in the second and gave up four straight hits. The White Sox tied the score, 2-2, but Carmona had good fortune and cool on his side.

With runners on the corners and no one out, Brent Morel sent a liner to right with Alejandro De Aza running from first to second on the pitch. Kosuke Fukudome made the catch in right field and threw to first to complete the double play. Carmona retired Gordon Beckham, the next batter, on a grounder to end the inning.

In the third, with runners on first and second and one out, A.J. Pierzynski lined out to first baseman Carlos Santana, who stepped on first to complete the double play.

In the fourth, with the score still tied, 2-2, Carmona stranded De Aza on third. In the sixth, after giving up a run to cut the Tribe's lead to 4-3, he retired De Aza on a grounder and Morel on a fly ball to center with the tying run on second.

"Today I didn't try too hard," said Carmona. "The second inning, I tried a little too hard when I gave up those four straight hits. Then I thought, 'Make a good pitch, get a double play.' "

Carmona is 7-15 overall and 2-2 against the White Sox this season. The 15 losses are a career high.

"Fausto did a nice job battling today," said manager Manny Acta. "He had some traffic on the bases and was helped a couple of times in double plays, but give him credit, he didn't crumble."

Crumbling has been a problem for Carmona. It usually happens when something goes wrong at the wrong time. Then the problem multiplies, and soon after that, Carmona is headed to the dugout.

"He's been up and down this year. . . . very much so," said Acta.

Said Carmona: "I'm not happy with the losses. I want to win. I just have to finish the season strong."

The Indians hold a $7 million club option on Carmona for next season. If they don't pick it up, they still control him, but he will be eligible for arbitration.

What course of action the Indians take with Carmona will be one of the important story lines of the winter.

Table for one: After the Indians lost to Seattle, 12-6, Monday, Travis Hafner made it to The Q to see WWE Raw. During the show, Jerry "The King" Lawler, WWE's analyst and sometimes wrestler, was thrown through a table.

"It was entertaining," said Hafner. "It happened right in front of us."

On some websites, it was written that Lawler was taken to a Cleveland hospital. Lawler, visiting Hafner in the Indians locker room between games of Tuesday's doubleheader, looked fine.

"I went to my hotel, not the hospital," said Lawler.

There was also talk of the table not being properly rigged, i.e., the screws weren't loosened beforehand to lessen the impact. Lawler made no comment on the subject.

Another arm: Right-hander Corey Kluber was recalled from Class AAA Columbus before Tuesday's doubleheader. It's his second tour with the Tribe this year.

Acta wanted Kluber to give the bullpen depth because of Tuesday's and Saturday's doubleheaders.

In another move that could give the Indians an extra arm if needed, Mitch Talbot was scratched from starting Tuesday night for Columbus at the Class AAA championship game against Omaha in Albuquerque, N.M. Joe Martinez started instead.

The Indians wanted to have Talbot available in case they need him during the final homestand of the season.

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